Santa Barbara Race Report a la Vegas Bob

Vegas Bob atop the podium. He still doesn't know for sure if he was in fact the winner. OK, maybe now he does.





Bob has been getting pissed at races. He doesn't explode at the start, and it sucks to watch Brant blow out at the gun with the top few guys and leave him stuck behind the slower riders. Finally taking a page from the winning handbook, Bob decided to launch the start at the Santa Barbara Bike Fest. After the starting gun, Bob and Brant took off..both in the top 6 or 7 riders. Bob had done the right thing and been out with the leaders. Suffering unmercifully, but able NOW to see the leaders (which is more encouraging than NOT seeing from the back of a slower rider),
VB began to move past each rider one at a time.

Brant would pop on lap three, allowing VB and another rider to squeeze by him. this was good for VB, since he rarely sees Brant after a start. Before he knew it, he was up towrds the front, believing that the Helen's-Subaru-Fisher rider in front of him was in 5th. An epic battle ensued. Bob would gain ground on the tightly wound switchback climbs and descents...and the Helen's rider would drop him on the fireroad climbs. Turns out the 29er he was on ISN'T great at everything, contrary to current media hype. The ground gained by Bob on his 26" Carbide in the switchbacks was so noticeable, he almost crashed into him at every turn. Finally rattling the Helen's rider after half-wheeling him on the descents for two laps, he finally plowed into a bush, allowing Bob to pass. On the last lap, with the three turns to go, VB though he had 4th locked up..until his legs began to cramp.

Looking down at his bottles, he realized he had been drinking his water bottle, and NOT his AMINO VITAL bottle. trying to drink and ride a switchback downhil at the same time, he DOWNED the remaining three-quarters of his mix and amazingly enough...that mgical powder made the cramps dissolve into thin air. hammering home the finish line sprint for fear of getting passed back, Bob flew to the finish line.
What he didn't know was that he had actually WON! The second place guy he had passed on the DH was in first when he passed him! Bob didn't even find out he had won until about thirty minutes later when Brant had asked who won, and someone pointed to Bob. Great work VB!










Vanessa and Brant would podium in Super-D (2nd), Bert got third in Singlespeed XC, and Matt Thome and Ryan B. would land 2nd and 3rd in their category! Taylor finished in 6th for open pro/semi-pro DH, and Vanessa was killing it until her wheel locked up on lap three.














Thanks to Roger for taking such great care of the peeps! EVERYONE has called me to say what a stellar job he has been doing for everyone. It will soon be our turn to return the favor.....save up an extra couple bucks everybody, it will be payback time soon....